The following link was sent to us from the Swedish Andrew Peterson Society.  The video is about their CD tour to the US this last fall.  The video includes music from the Andrew Peterson the Musical CD.  If you like the music, the CD is available at the CCHS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORo52y1hgIg

I just found out today that we won a Legacy grant for $182,223 to complete the restoration of the North Peterson Barn.  You will be able to watch the work being completed via our website, and will be welcome to come out to watch in person.  Work will start around the end of January or when we receive notification that work can begin.  This historic building was build in the 1880s.

A better Christmas present, you could not ask for.

Yesterday was a wonderful day.  We received the title work for the property.  After a copy is made, it will go directly into our safety deposit box.  We now have proof that we own 12.17 acres of the Historic Andrew Peterson Farmstead.  Peterson’s original property consisted of a total 160 acres. While 12.17 acres sounds very small in comparison, we feel very blessed.  It is also an amount of property we feel we can properly take care of.

Waiting has and probably will continue to be part of the restoration process of the farm.  We are waiting today to see if the Legacy grant written to finish the North Barn was accepted.  I have been told that the letters were sent yesterday.  But, nothing was received in the mail today. So we continue to wait…..

The work on the interior of the AP house is continuing.  The sheet rock which was already in place in the living room and the small downstairs room off the kitchen are being finished.  It was decided to finish the process, to make the space livable for the care taker.  A plumber, electrician, and sheet rocker have all helped complete the process which had already been started when the CCHS took possession of the property.  A refrigerator, and garden tractor have all been donated.  New stove, washer and dryer were delivered last week.

It has been very interesting seeing the layers of wall paper and the red and orange shag carpeting.  Just like a time line in history, they will tell us about how the house was used.  All processes are being documented for a later time when we will be able to fully research and better document the building as a whole.

The U of M structural reports of the house and the 1917 barn will be complete in early January.

An Grand opening of the property will occur in the spring.  More photos will be added, in the next week.

 

This week, a caretaker will be moving into the old Andrew Peterson house.  TJ Malaskee is an employee of the Minnesota Historical Society- Mill City Museum,  and former Kelley Farm interpreter.  Plan are to open the property for tours in the spring.  Stay tuned for more about TJ in the next few weeks.

The CCHS applied for a large Legacy grant for the final restoration for the north Peterson barn.  The initial  grant was applied for last summer. After a review and rewrite the final grant was submitted in the fall.  The CCHS Executive Director then testified before the deciding board several weeks ago.  The results will be released in December.  Cross you fingers and toes, as the barn can’t last much longer.  If approved, the grant will fully restore the barn and will use some new technology, which will allow everyone to watch the restoration from anywhere in the world!

The University of Minnesota Resilient Communities Project students are blogging about us. click on the link and read about the latest.

http://rcp.umn.edu/2015/11/19/linking-past-to-present-through-the-andrew-peterson-farmstead/

 

 

 

 

Replacing the old septic system has been the cause for delays this time.  With this issue finally solved, expect a big announcement within a week or less.

Waiting…. waiting….waiting…expecting to hear more by the end of the month. But getting ever closer.